Social Disruption

Social Disruption: How to Confront the Fraying Social Fabric and Social Inequality in Germany and the U.S.?

Throughout 2019, the ACG will collaborate with the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius to facilitate an exchange between German and American opinion leaders, social entrepreneurs, and foundation representatives through four lecture tours to eight U.S. cities. Given the political polarization, fragmentation of society, and growing social inequity on both sides of the Atlantic, this program will look at how to overcome the fraying of the fabric of society.

Social entrepreneurs and foundations have played an important role in recent years and have had a major impact on creating growth, employment, prosperity, and social renewal at the community level. In both countries, there are remarkable examples of projects and initiatives that can be catalysts for creative approaches in the other country.

The programming in each city will engage local government representatives, local community foundations, private foundations, and social enterprises. The goal of the project is to highlight the work and activities of local social entrepreneurs and foundations in their local communities and to share best practices.